Roy's Epiphany
by Cerberuskillz
Summary: Full Metal has just returned from a mission, when Roy has a sudden moment of Clarity. Oneshot.


**AN** - Um this is my first FMA fic, hope you like. I don't own FMA. I'm a student so don't sue me. Don't flame too hard either. Or I'll ;;

Ed stood in front of his commanding officers desk, he felt really shaken up.  
He last mission hadn't been easy and the things he had seen kept replaying in his head, worst thing was Al had been in danger. He nearly lost the only family he had left, all because he had made the wrong decision.  
Ed didn't realise it but Colonel Mustang was watching him, he could see the pain in the boy's eyes and the strain of his work stretching the skin on his face. He had seen this look on many of the soldiers that had handed reports to him over the years and he had come to expect it.

What he didn't expect was the two soft tear-falls that lightly pattered on the carpet or the ones that followed them.  
Roy Mustang the Flame Alchemist stood and walked around the front of his desk, he stood to Full Metals left for a moment then pulled the boy into his arms.

This was probably the first time in years that Roy had realised that Edward was 15 not the adult that he masqueraded as, he was a child in the world of adults. He was scared and confused, and he had no one to comfort him.  
Roy's eyebrows furrowed in worry as Edward buried his face in Roy's stomach, his silent crying becoming sobs.  
"Shhh. it's ok, it'll all be alright." Roy whispered; doing what he could to calm to boy. '_Poor kid; he's still a child. What right do I have to send him on these missions? I should be working harder to protect those two. It's my fault, if I had gotten to Resembool earlier as I had planned I could have changed all of this._'

"It's ok Edward, it's ok."  
'_I could have stopped them, and then none of this would have happened if I had been faster all those years ago._'  
Roy felt Edwards sobbing beginning to subside, and began to stroke the back of his head. "It's ok, you and Al are both safe here."

'_I'm the closest thing Edward has to a parent figure; I know that and so does he. He would have been hell for his mother, rebellious little kid._' Ed began to lean his head away from where it had buried it's self. He was still sniffing occasionally, but he wiped his face clean.  
"I made your uniform all wet." Ed mumbled, Roy knew that he was trying to think up what to say to get his mask back in place.  
"That's ok, I'll read your report and we can talk about it when you come back in at three. Alright Edward?"  
Ed nodded and tiredly walked out of the room.

A few hours later Edward Elric Full Metal alchemist strode into his commanders office and threw himself onto one of the couches.  
"What's the hurry Full Metal, 'short' on time?" Mustang asked with his trademark smirk as he finished signing one last paper.  
"WHO ARE YOU CALLING SO SHORT THAT THEY HAVE TO USE STILTS JUST TO BE SEEN IN A CROWD?" Full Metal yelled as he launched himself from the couch.  
"I didn't say that, now about this report…" Roy smiled on the inside, as he felt a strange feeling swelling up inside of him.  
'_He got over it so quickly, he really is a tough kid._' Then Roy realised exactly what it was, he was proud of Ed.

Proud of the way he had dealt with everything that had been thrown in his path. Proud that he had come back into the office, as though he hadn't been crying only hours before. Come back even though he must have been embarrassed about breaking down.

"That that building was about to collapse before we even went inside, totally not our fault. And that guy just had to keep taking the strength out of the support walls to throw spikes of rock at us. So as you can see it wasn't my fault. I did try to stop it from going down." Roy frowned, but on the inside he was laughing and concerned. He realised that really in his eyes those boys could do no wrong.

"Now I know how Maes feels." "Huh?" Full Metal questioned as his rant was interrupted.  
"Nothing Full Metal, I don't think that building was one that would be missed. But why the gold mine?"  
"The thing about that…" Full Metal began with a cheeky grin as he scratched the back of his head.  
On the inside Roy was waiting until he could brag to Maes about another of his 'sons' adventures.


End file.
